The Hu Yan Clan#

Clan Name: Hu Yan, pronounced as hū yán

Distribution of the Hu Yan Clan#

Anding Commandery: Established in the third year of Yuanding during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (114 BC), with its administrative center in Gaoping (present-day Guyuan, Ningxia). Its jurisdiction covered areas equivalent to present-day Jingtai, Jingyuan, Huining, Pingliang, Jingchuan, Zhenyuan in Gansu Province, as well as Zhongning, Zhongwei, Tongxin, Guyuan in Ningxia, and the western part of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. There was also an Anding County located north of present-day Jingchuan, Gansu, which was part of the Anding Commandery.

Xincai Commandery: Originally part of the Lü State during the Zhou Dynasty, corresponding to the area around present-day Xincai, Henan Province.

Taiyuan Prefecture: Also known as Taiyuan Commandery, it is the capital of Shanxi Province.

Origins of the Hu Yan Clan#

The Hu Yan clan originated from:

1. Changes in surnames among various ethnic groups, with some adopting Han Chinese surnames. According to the historical record "Shi Xing Cao Lue," the "Hu Yan" clan of the Xiongnu tribes changed their name to Hu Yan upon entering China. The "Han Shu" also mentions the "Hu Yan" clan among the Xiongnu tribes.
2. Surnames granted by emperors.
3. Surnames bestowed as rewards for services rendered.
4. Other minority ethnic groups, such as the Xianbei people of the Jin Dynasty, who were granted the Hu Yan surname for their contributions.

Ancestral Figures

• Hu Yan Guo Lin: A scholar of the Qing Dynasty, ranked seventh in the civil service hierarchy. His tombstone was erected by his sons Hu Yan Er Fu, Hu Yan Er De, and grandchildren Hu Yan Yong Huang, Hu Yan Yong Can. His descendant, Hu Yan Wen Tong, had six sons and two daughters; these sons had nine grandsons and several daughters. Eight of Hu Yan Wen Tong's grandsons are still alive, with the oldest being over ninety years old. Each of Hu Yan Wen Tong's nine grandsons has more than twenty descendants. Many members of the Hu Yan clan, including those with the surname "Ke," are still living today; the oldest of these descendants is about twelve years old. He is considered the ancestor of the Hu Yan clan in Pingyao, Shanxi.
• Hu Yan Zuo Yong: Moved from Jinyang Commandery in Shanxi to Hanyuan, Sichuan, and changed his surname to Hu. His eldest son, Hu Yu Tai, stayed in Hanyuan, while his second son, Hu Xiang Tai, moved to Yunnan. Later, some members of the Hu Yan clan from Hanyuan migrated to Dayi, Sichuan. He is considered the ancestor of the Hu Yan clan in Hanyuan, Sichuan.

Migration and Distribution

The Hu Yan clan is a typical example of an ancient surname originating from a minority ethnic group. Its total population does not rank among the top 300 surnames in mainland China, and it is not listed in the "Hundred Family Surnames" in Taiwan Province. In the Song Dynasty version of the "Hundred Family Surnames," it was ranked 470th. Prominent families of the Hu Yan clan came from Anding Commandery, Xincai Commandery, and Taiyuan Prefecture.

According to the historical record "Shi Xing Cao Lue," the "Hu Yan" clan of the Xiongnu tribes changed their name to Hu Yan upon entering China. The "Han Shu" also mentions the "Hu Yan" clan among the Xiongnu tribes. According to the annotations of Yan Shigu from the Tang Dynasty, "Hu Yan" refers to the Xianbei surname. This indicates that the Hu Yan clan was originally from the Xiongnu tribe and arrived in China during the early Han Dynasty, with a history of over 2000 years. It is unclear who first adopted the Hu Yan surname. The first well-known figure with this surname was Hu Yan Mo from the Former Zhao during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. During the Song Dynasty, there was also Hu Yan Zan. Many members of the Hu Yan clan lived in Shanxi, with some branches changing their surname to Hu after migrating to Shaanxi. Prominent families of the Hu Yan clan were found in Anding (established during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, covering parts of present-day Pingliang, Gansu, and western Ningxia, with Gaoping as the administrative center), and Xincai (formed by splitting Ruyang Commandery during the reign of Emperor Hui of Jin, corresponding to the area around present-day Xincai, Henan).

Generational Sequences

• Shanxi Pingyao Hu Yan Clan: "Wan Man Tong Yu Chang."
• Shanxi Pingyao Hu Yan Clan (continued): "Si Zhi Guo Er Yong Si Wen Shi Ling Guang Qi Ke Shou Cheng Hua Ke Yi Zhen Jia Chuan."
• Sichuan Hanyuan Hu Yan Clan: "Zuo Tai Shen Qing Yuan Sheng Wen Deng Jin Bang Guo Jia Yong Chuan Guang Ming Zhi Shi Da De Ying Xian Rong Fa Nai Er Yu Si Wan Nian."
• Taiyuan Hu Yan Clan: "Zuo Tai Shen Qing Yuan Sheng Wen Deng Jin Bang Guo Jia Yong Chuan Guang Ming Zhi Shi Da De Ying Xian Rong Fa Nai Er Yu Si Wan Nian."

Notable Figures with the Hu Yan Surname

• Hu Yan Zan: A brave military officer of the Song Dynasty, whose body was covered with the words "Chixin Sha Zui" (meaning "with a loyal heart to kill the enemy"). He fought for his country without regard for his own life, and his enemies feared him.